Author: Usha Krishnan
Malaysians
are predominantly Muslim, so dress fairly modestly.
It is also important to remember that as a
volunteer/intern, you are a eHomemakers team member, so you must maintain a
professional dress code at all times. Whether it is a normal day of work at the
Executive Director’s home or a few hours outside the office at a meeting,
anyone representing eHomemakers must not wear clothing that reveals too much
cleavage, back, chest, stomach or underwear, or any bra straps. Such attire is
not appropriate for a place of work, even in a home setting.
Even
in a casual work environment, clothing should be pressed and never wrinkled.
Torn, dirty, or frayed clothing is unacceptable. Any clothing that has words,
terms, or pictures that may be offensive to others is unacceptable.
Inappropriate attire for work includes tank tops; midriff tops; shirts with
potentially offensive words, terms, logos, pictures, cartoons, or slogans;
halter-tops and tops with bare shoulders unless worn under another blouse,
shirt, jacket, or dress. Dress and skirt length should be at a length at which
you can sit comfortably in public. Short, tight skirts that ride halfway up the
thigh are inappropriate for work. Mini-skirts and spaghetti-strap dresses are
discouraged.
Please note:
Please note:
- Beachwear should be restricted to the beach and topless sunbathing is never acceptable.
- Away from the beach, clothes should not be too short and the shoulders should be covered. Avoid halter necks, tube tops when you jog. Spaghetti straps should be worn only in a home that is open to this or only in city shopping complexes unless they are worn underneath informal jackets. Do not wear blouses without the bra thus revealing the nipples underneath the cloth. Wear clothes that are not too revealing; liberal behaviour causes some unease with locals, especially those in rural areas.
- Many Malay women are covered from head to toe with only the face and hands showing. As a foreigner, you do not need to cover your head, but you will find that you are more readily welcomed if you wear long sleeves and a longer length dress or skirt when you visit with Malays.
- When visiting government offices be sure to dress smartly, as casual dress will be taken as an affront. Short skirts, sleeveless tops and shorts are seen on the streets; however, these are not approved of by the Malay authorities, so avoid wearing them to government departments and official meetings.
- A
long sleeve shirt and tie with dress trousers is the recommended business
attire. Jackets are also advisable for more formal meetings. Women should
dress conservatively.
When
dealing with people from a shared culture, everyone knows the rules and there
is not much to think about. Those that lack etiquette are branded as uncouth
and rude. However, this is not the same when working on the international
stage. Someone may very well come across as being rude through a lack of
etiquette but this may be because in their culture, that behaviour is normal.
As a result, international etiquette is a key skill for those wanting to be
successful when working abroad.
